Lyrid meteor display set to dazzle Carlow skygazers

Carlow skygazers can look forward to catching the Lyrid meteor shower this weekend, with up to 18 meteors per hour expected to light up the dawn skies.

The celestial display will peak in the early hours of April 23 and will be visible until dawn.

There will be bright fast meteors – some with trains.

Also, the peak comes just after New Moon, which means views of the spectacle will not be impeded by moonlight.

The Lyrids takes its name from the constellation of Lyra the Harp, from which the shooting stars appear to originate.

Meteor showers, or shooting stars, are caused when pieces of debris, known as meteorites, enter Earth’s atmosphere at speeds of around 43 miles per second, burning up and causing streaks of light.

In this case, the debris comes from the Thatcher Comet, which is expected to return to the inner solar system in the year 2276, after an orbital period of 415 years.

For the best views, it is advised to find a dark site with an unobstructed view of the sky.

The Lyrids occur between April 16-25 every year.